Drug Agents Discover An Underground Grow House

"It's the first that we've come across," said Marion County Sheriff's Office Captain Lee Sullivan.

Along with the plants, drug agents found 61-year-old Michael Klopp of Silver Springs.

"What had happened is he had buried a big storage container a big metal storage container and then dug a part to it, and basically was running his whole operation underground," said Sullivan.

A trap door led to a room with three divided areas. The plants could be sold for as much as $3500 a pound.

"It's very hard to investigate because you don't have the usual indicators, the air conditioning the power adversion," said Sullivan. "When it's underground you don't have the smell."

Sullivan says if they hadn't received an anonymous tip, they may have never found the operation on this somewhat secluded property with barbed wire fencing to keep people away. As of July 1st, the penalty for this crime has gotten steeper.

"To be in an actual possession of that place where drugs are manufactured is a second degree felony," said Robin Arnold with the State Attorney's Office. "It's a higher degree punishable to up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine."